Automatic type-writer operator.



L. R. ROBERTS.

AUTOMATIC TYPE WRITER OPERATOR.

. I A rmpmou man JULY 2. 1912. 1,163 954, Patented Dec. 14, 19K). 2SHEETS-SHEET 2.

chiral) STATES PATENT, OFFICE- w vrr /7522 conoern."

"the States, residing in d n .the county of Bergen and Jersey, haIy'einvented certain fu Improvements in Automatic Ty i I 1 O perators,ofwhich the following 1s' 's' ec fication.--' i "-LThll'slnVen 1o lates toan automatic opera orffoi a A l I ypewriter, and more especially t newand"iiiiproved'line-space operating mechanism therefor. j

This invention" is an improvement on the ppl ance o Charles L. Davis;No. 428,050, filed April ntioned application a pair faster-sheetscooperate with clstocontrol the action of anumher. 0 pneumaticactuators-for the several the typewriter. .rlmong the others a pneumaticactuatoris provided, which connects the line-s acelever of thetypewriter to a constantly driven member so that the platen may bespaced jfor a line and the carriage returned.' Thi'sinve'ntion has to domore particularly with this mechanism.

Incarrymg out this invention, the constantly driven member is shown inthe form ofja'"'st ationary rotating screw. A halfnut is'rnouiited onf acarrier so. as to be shiftable from a normal position out .of engagement7 i With'the screw 'to a' positlon in' engagement I with the carriage.

- ward rotatiorr -onats therewith. The nut and carrier are connected byan arm .to the usual line-space 1e.- verof thetypewriter carriage. Thecarrier is'mountedon arpair'of rails so asto run' A cam star, wheel, isswung downwardly by apneumatic actuator' to' enga ge', 'shift andmovepast one of the rails so as to shift the carrier and thus bring the nutintoj engagement with the screw.

The star wheel normally held from backdownward stroke by a detent, whichdetent, however,- .doesf.not prevent-the sta'r 'wheel from rotating idlywhile passing the: .shift :rail on ,its return stroke iMeansislalso;provided'aforq moving (31 1detentit i anazineffective' positionwhen I the pneumat ctioniof.the machine stops, enabling thestarzwheel-ito rotate idly back Specification of Iietters Patent.

1,1, that I, LYMAN Roismi'rs,

@Lyman K. -Roberts and 'ated by an operato'r 2 to reproduce a form,

responding perforation in the tracker board,"

9' orimi'lmnnroan. NEW JERSEY, 'AssIGNoa yro .UNDERWOOD TYPE-I im oorarr'vrjonmiw YORK, 1\T. Y.-,' AICORPOBATION DIE-DELAWARE,

" :aU romA'rIomYPE-wm'rriia OPERATOR.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915. l

' a lication filed m 2, 1912. SeriaI No. 107,211.

ward, even on its down stroke, thereby preventing an accidentalextra:line-spacing whenth e machine starts up again.

Othei features and advantages inafter appear. i In the accompanyingdrawings,Figure 1 1s a fragmentary view showing in g eral, the relationof the operator to the typewriter. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view inelevation showing lthe detent in engagementwith the star wheel. Fig. 3is a view "of the parts shown in Fig. 1, and showing the de-.'-. tentdisengaged from the star wheel so that the latter is free to rotate idlywithout hav 6 5 ing any shifting action when the pneumatip mechanism ofthe machine, as a wl1ole. is"s1 lent. Fig. 4; is a detail perspectiveview;- showing the relation of the detent-to the star wheel. Fig. 5 is a,detail perspective view showing the related mechanism where-' by theline-space lever of the typewriter is. actuated either toreturn thecarriage or to line-space the platen. Fig. 6 is a detail viewshowi-ngthe star wheel in its normal inactive positionbefore having beendepressed by its actuator. Fig. 7. is'a view similar to Fig. 6, showingthe star wheel in the act of shifting the carrier. and its nut to starta movement ofthe line-space lever. Referring more particularly to thevsepa'-.-J rate parts of this invention as embodied in the form shown inthe drawings, indicates atypewriter which may be of any suitablecharacter, such as the, Underwood, and which is adapted to beautomatically operwill hereletter any number of times with the proper"insertion of separate matter for each letter, such'asa different name.and address. As described in my above-mentioned applica tion, theoperator 2 is controlled by a pair of master-sheets 3 and/l mounted onrollers 5 and 6 so as to be drawn across the face of perforation trackerboards 7 and S. The

perforationsin'these tracker board'sare connectedby pipes 'to pneumaticactuators so that when one of the perforations in the masteresheetcomesin register with the cor the. asstj ciatedv pneumatic actuator will be'actuated'to operate some part of the typewriter, as. for example,hammer 9 to 'depress its-key 10 of the type writer.

One of functions ofthe typewriter I which the pneumatic actuatorcontrols is,

the line-spacingof the platen and the .re-

turn of the carriage of the typewriter. In

this instance the platen,ind1cated at 11,

i-smounted on a'earriage 12 in the usual manner and is provided withaline space i mechanism indicated in generalat 13. This line-spacemechanism is provided, as is usual in the Underwood type of machine,with a linespaeelever 14 extending from the .front of the machine.

For the purpose of enabling the line-space lever 14 to be actuated atany time, there is suitablef source,

More on reas provided a continuously driven member, shown in the form ofa stationary rotating screw which receives 'power from any w shaft-1'5,which, when in engagement with the screw shaft 15, will be traversedhorizontally. The motion of this nut and car- 'rier may be transmittedto the line-space I lever14: by an arm 19 which is secured at one end tothe carrier 17 and is provided at its other end with a loop 20'toengage. an upstanding finger grip 21 of a the line-space lever 14.

a The nut 18 is normally outof engagement I with the screw shaft 15, butis capable of beers 24 which'en'gage another rail 25 which may be termedthe shift rail, inasmuch as it isused to shift the carrier 17 to controlthe i connection of the half-nut 18 with the screw shaft 15. The shiftrail 25 is mounted on 1 a'pair of arms 26 which are rotatably mounted onthe track rail 23. y

When one of the line-space or carriage return aperturesin the mastersheet comes in register with its accordant'apertu-re inthe trackerboard, air is admitted to .a pneumatic control 27 so that a pneumaticactuator, shown in the form-of a collapsible bellows 28, is operated todraw down on arm 29 nection against the tension of a spring 30. The arm29 is adjustably but rigidly connected to a slide 31 which is slidinglyand pivotally mounted,as b? means of a pin-and-slot con- 1/1 a shii :orthe shift rail 25,.shown inthe by depressing its position "shown in Fig.

36 has been released. indicated by the gearing16- a carrier 17 injuxtaposition there is. provided a itrotates idly on its a on the slide31 there is provided.

form of a cam star wheel 33 rotatably mounted'on astud shaft the starwheel 33', which is held from. backward rotation by a detent 35, acts asa cam against the shift rail 25 forcing it from the v6 to; the positionshown in 1 'ig.-7,- thereby bringing the nut 18 into engagement with thescrew shaft 15.. As soon 'as this position is arrived. at, aspring-pressed catch. 36 is .slid in back of one of the arms 26 so thatan enlarged portion 37 thereon will prevent the return 'of the shiftrail 25 and the carrier 17 as the point of.v the star wheel.m'ovesdownwa'rd be vond the shift. rail 25. and until'thisca-tch Ofcourse, the engagement of the nut 18 with the screw shaft 15 willtraverse the carriage and nut to the left as viewed in Fig. 5, carryingwith it the line-space lever 11 and the carriage. When thelimit-of'motion has been reached, the carrier 17 will come intoengagementwith the catch 36 forcing it to the left against the tensionof the spring, thereby permittingthe carrier and its nutto return 'tothe normal'position shown in Fig. 6. When the pneumatic actuator 28 ispermitted to return by the apertures-in the master-sheet moving awayfromthe apertures in the tracker board, the slide 31is free to return underthe traction of the spring 30'to its normalposition'.

- If the detent 35 would hold the star wheel .33 from rotation in-bothdirections, the shift railfwhich, when released from the catch 36 .isagain seated-between two points of the star wheel, would again beactuated, but the detent 35 is bent at its upper end so that it willprevent only the backward rotation and will yield outwardly against thetension of its spring 38 during the upwardstroke of the star wheel 33.The teethof the star wheel are cutaway as at 39 on one side so as 'toenable the detent to be readily forced out, during the, return motion ofthe star wheel. It will thus be seen that instea'dof the star wheelforming a rigid intermediary,

shifting the rail 25.

- In order to avoid accidental double linespacing where cert'ain'partsof the machine arelstopped at the instant when the line-space 34. In thenormal posi-" tlon' of the slide 31 the shift 'rail 25 is lo upwardstroke without actuator is in operation, means is provided for renderingthe shifting mechanism ineffective when the operation of the machine isstopped, In .order to understand this featureit maybefwellto describehow the typewriter operator can be stopped in its action. Therollers Isheets 3 and! "and which carry the masterglprovidedwith gears 4O and 41respectively, gears 42 I it is desired to manually stop the driving ofboth of the rollers at the same time, a hand knob 47 is rotated so astorock an arm 48v to depress an arm 49, thereby rocking a shaft 50. Theshaft 50 is also provided with a second arm 51 which is connected by .alink 52 to a bell crank 53 having a lug underlying the action of themachine cated the shaft on which the gear 43 is mounted. One of the armsof the bell crank 53 is connected by a link 54 to an arm 55 having a lugunderlying the shaft on which the gear 42 is mounted. It will thus beseen that both of the gears 42 and 43 can be lifted out of mesh at thesame time, thereby stopping Another way in which these gears can bemoved out of mesh is by means of a pneumatic actuator indi- This causesa collapse of forms a part 'of the pneumatic actuator. so that a book 56isdrawn down, and this hook is .pivotally mounted on the arm 49s0that-the shaft 50 is once again rocked.

I All of this mechanism .is shown and dewhether by scribed'more fully inthe above-mentioned application and'specifically forms no part qf thisinvention. However, when the gears 42 .a'nd'43 are lifted out of meshconcomitantly to stop the action of the machine, one" means or theother, this action at the same time renders the shifting mechanism forthe line-space'mechanism in-.

effective so as to prevent a -false carriage return and l1ne+spacingact-101i when the ma- To accomplish this the shaft 50 is also providedwith a claim:

third arm 57 upon which is'pivotally mounted a thrust link 58. The lowerend of this thrust link extends through a guide opening 59 provided inan'extension arm 60 of the detent 35. Secured on the thrust link 58there is provided a collar 61 which when the shaft is rocked to depressthe link 58, will comeinto engagement with the arm -so as to lock thedetent 35 out of engagementwith the teeth'of the star wheel 33. Whenthis occurs the star wheel will be free to rotate when it is carrieddownwardly without shifting the rail 25.

Variations may scope of the invention,

be resorted to within the and portions of the improvements may be usedwithout others.

Having thus described my invention, 1 I typewriter of an op- 1. Thecombination with a erator for 'said typewriter having actuating meansfor operatlng sa1d line-space mechanism, and a" one wayacting shiftingmeans carriage-returning in general at 55, which is brought into" 0effective on one stroke and lneffectively e naction when the papersupply runsout.

the bellows which engaging said first-mentioned means on one 3. Thecombination with a typewriter having a line-space mechanism, of anautomatlc operator. for

said typewriter having actuating means for said line-space mechanism,cam means for controlling the efiectiveness of sa1d ac-tuatmg means, andmeans for rendering sa1d cam means ineffective.

- 4. The combination with atypewriter having a-carriage, of an,automaticope'rator for sa1d typewriter having carr age-returning means,-and. shifting means engaging sai means to render the same gaging saidcarriage-returning means on its return stroke.

5. The combination. with a typewriter, of an automatic operator for saidtypewriter, I said typewriter having a whereby certain parts of saidtypewriter may be actuated by said operator, said automatic operatorincluding a continuously driven member, means connected to said fingergrip adapted to be operatively connected to said continuously drivenmember so as to. manipulate said finger grip, a shift rail connected to,said means, and a star wheel shift ran by engagemovable to shift saidment therewith' I 6. The combination with a typewriter, of an automaticoperator for said typewriter, said typewriter having a finger gripthereon whereby certain parts of said typewriter may be actuated by saidoperator, said automatic operator including a continuously drivenmember, means connected to said finger grip adapted to be operativelyconnected to said continuously driven member so as to manipulate saidfinger grip, a shift rail connected to said means, a star wheel movableto shift said shift rail by engagement therewith, permit the rotation ofsaid star wheel in one direction and to prevent the rotation of saidstar wheel in the opposite direction.

7. The combination with a typewriter, an automatic operator for saidtypewriter, said typewriter having a finger grip thereon whereby certainparts of said typewriter may be actuated by said operator, saidautomatic operator including continuously driven member, means connectedto sa1d finger. grip adapted to be operatively con:

nected to said continuously driven member and a detent arranged tofinger grip thereon rail connected to said. means, a star wheel movableto shift said shift rail by engagement therev-ilth, a detent arranged topermit therotation ol said star wheel in one direction and to preventthe rotation of said star said typewriter having a finger gripthereonwhereby certain parts of said typewriter may be actuated by saidoperator, said automatic operator including a continuously drivenmember, means connected tov said finger grip adapted to be operativelyconnected-to said continuously driven member so as to manipulate saidfinger grip, a shift rail connected to said means, a star wheel movableto shift said shift rail by engagement therewith, a detent arranged topermit the rotation of said star wheel in one direction and to preventthe rotation of said star wheel in the opposite direction, and means forconcomitantly silencing said automatic operator and moving said detentto an ineffective position.

. 9. The combination with a typwriter, of an automatic operator for saidtypewriter, said typewriter having a'finger-grip thereon whereby-certainpartsof said typewriter may be actuated by said operator, said automaticoperator including a contin- 'uously driven member, means connected tosaid fingergrip adapted to be operatively connected to said continuouslydriven member so asto manipulate saidf finger grip, a shift railconnectedto said means, 'a. star wheel movable to shift said shift railby engagement therewith, and anactuator for said star wheel.

10. The combination with a typewriter,

of an automatic operator forsaid, typewriter, said typewriter having afinger grip thereon whereby certain parts of said-typewriter may beactuated bv said operator, said automatic operator includlng a. continuously driven member,means connected to said finger grip adapted tobe operatively connected to said'ccntinuously driven member so as tomanipulate said finger grip, a.

shift railconnected to said means, a star .wheel movable to shift saidshift rail by,

engagement therewith, and master-sheet controlled-actuating means foractuating said star wheel.

11..The combination with a typewriter, of an automatic operator for saidtype writer, said tyewriter having a, linger grip thereon wherebycertain parts of said type writer may be actuated by said operator,said. automatic operator including a continuously driven member, meansconnected to said-finger grip adapted to be operatively connected tosaid continuously driven mem her so as to manipulate said-finger grip, ashift rail connected to saidimeans, a star wheel movable to shift saidshift rail by engagement therewith, a slide'for said star wheel, apneumatic actuator-for moving said slide in one direction, and a springfor returning said slide. I

12. The combination with a typewriter, of an automatic operator for saidtypewriter, said typewriter having a finger grip thereon whereby certainparts of said typewriter may be actuated by said operator, saidautomatic operator including a continuously driven member, meansconnected to said finger grip adapted tobe operatively connected to saidcontinuously driven member so as to manipulate said finger grip, a

shift rail connected to said means, a; star wheel movable to shift saidshift rail by engagement therewith, master-shed controlling-theoperations of said operator, means for feeding said master-sheets, meansfor silencing the feed of said master-sheets. i

a detent for rendering said star wheel capa bio of shifting said rail,and connections enablin said silencing means to move said detent toQanineffective position.

13. The combination with a typewriter i parts thereof may be actuated, acontinu- 'ously driven screw, a nut engageable with 14. The combinationwith a typewriter 105 having a finger grip whereby certain ofthepartsthereof may be actuated, a continuously driven screw, a nutengageable'with said screw, a carrier for supporting said nut, means forconnecting said finger grip to said carrier, a shift rail connected tosaid carriage so as to be capable of moving said havinga' finger gripwhereby certain of the nut into and out of engagement with said screw,an actuator, a slide connected tosaid actuator, a star wheel rotatablymounted on said slide and arranged to engage said ra l to shift said nutinto engagement. with said screw.

The combination with a typewriter having a finger grip whereby certainof the parts thereof may be actuated, it continu ously driven screw, anjutengageable with said screw, a carrier for supporting, said.nut,means' for connecting said finger "grip. to said carrier, a shiftrail connected to said carriage so as to be capable of moving said nutinto and outv of engagement with said screw, an actuator, a slideconnected to said actuator, star wheel rotatably mounted =uous1y drivenscrew, ;sa1d screw, a carrier for on said slide and arranged to engagesaid rail toshiftsaid nut into engagement with said screw, and a detentfor locking said "star wheel against movement in one direction.. Y 16.The combination with a typewriter finger grip whereby certain of the beactuated, a. contina nut engageable with supporting said nut, means forconnecting said finger grip to said having a parts thereof may carrier,:1 shift rail connected .to said car-J r age so as to into and out ofengagement with said screw,

be capable of moving said nut 17. The combination with a typewriter, of

, a typewriter operator for said typewriter,

space mechanism forsaid platen,

ncluding -a multiple mechanism for causing the saidtypewriter includinga platen, and linetypewriter operator one-way act ng actuation of saidline-space mechanism by said typewriter operator.

. 18. The combination with a typewriter, of

j a typewriter operator for said typewriter, said typewriter including aplaten, line-space me chanism ,for said platen and said typewr teroperator lncluding a multiple oneway acting mechanism for causing theactuation of said line-space mechanism-by said typewriter operator, andmeans for rendering said one-way acting mechanism effective orineffective at will.

,- 19. The combination with a typewriter, of a typewriter operator forsaid typewriter, said typewriter including a platen, linespace mechanismfor said platen and said typewriter operator including a multipleone-way acting mechanism' for causing the actuation of said line-spacemechanismby said typewriter operator, and'means for concomitantlysilencing said typewriter operator and rendering said one-way actingmechanism ineffective. I

' 20. The combination with a typewriter, of a typewriter operator forsaid typewriter, said typewriter including a carriage and saidtypewriter operator including carriagereturning means, and a cammingdevice having a series of cams operable seriatz'm to operatively connectthe carriage with the carriage-returning means and thereby render saidcarriage-returning means effective to return the carriage.

21. Thecombination with a typewriter in-' cluding a traveling carriage,of a typewriter operator for said typewriter including car- "forrendering the tlons of movement when said controlling one direction,and.

and said for adjusting said respect to said shiftable riage-returningmeans, controlling mechanism for governing the effectiveness ofsaldtypewriter operator, and means for passing dly by saldcarriage-returning means 1n one direction and positivelyengagingsaid-car- 'riage returning means in the opposite direc-' tion to enablethe return of s aid carriage,- and connections between said.controlling.

mechanism and said last-mentioned means latter idle in bothdirecmechanism is eif'cctive to silence said operator. Q I

22. The combination with a typewriter in- .cluding a traveling carriage,a platen mounted on sald carnage and'line-space mechanism for saidplaten, of a'typewriter ator for said typewriter including o means forenablingthe actionof said linespace mechanism and the return of saidriage, and means for silencing s id ming means at will. 23. Thecombination wlth having a traveling carriage, of an automatic operatorfor said typewriter having a car-- and riage-return means for saidcarriage, camming means for effecting an operative connection means andthe carriage at-anypoint in the travel of the carriage. 24. Thecombination with a typewriter having a traveling carriage, of anautomatic operator for said typewriter having a carriage-return meansfor said carriage, camming means for controlling the efiectiveness ofsaid carriage-return means, and mechanism for rendering said cammingmeans inefiective to control the effectiveness of said carriage-returnmeans.

' 25. The combination with typewriting mechanism, of shiftable mechanismoperative to perform certain functions of the typewriting mechanism, andan idle wheel shiftable mechanism, a journal for said wheel having aback and' forth stroke, said wheel moving rigidly with its journal onone stroke to effect an adjust ment of said shiftable mechanism andmoving yieldingly on the opposite stroke to idle passing engagement withsaid shiftable mechanism.

26. The combination with typewriting -mechanism, of Shiftable mechanismoperative to perform certain functions of the typewriting mechanism, anidle wheel for. adjusting said shiftable mechanism, a journal for saidwheel having aback and forth stroke, and a detent holding said wheelrigid on its journal on one stroke to enable said wheel to adjustsaidshiftable mechanism and yielding on the opposite stroke to permit anidle movement of said'wheel wlth mechanism.

27. The combination wlth a typewriting a typewriter between saidcar'riage-return machine having a line-space mechanism, of.

a shifting star wheel for operating said mecnanism and having teethapexed on one .side and cut away for a camming action on the oppositeside, a lever forming part of said mechanism operated by the apexedteeth, and a pawl cammed to inefiective posi- .tion by the camming side.

. tive to perform certain functions of the type-- writlng mechanism,shiftingmechanism for adjusting sald shiftable mechanism having 28. vThecombination With typewriting mechanism, of shiftable mechanism operaaback and forth stroke, a detent holding sa d shifting mechanism rigid onone'stroke to enable said shifting mechanism to adjust said 'shiftablemechanism and yielding on the opposite stroke to'permit anidle movementand a platen on said carriage, of means for effecting a concomitanttraveling movement of said carriage and a line spacing of said platen,shifting mechanism having an effective stroke engaging said means tooperate the same and having an idle stroke engaging said meanspassively, and silencing means for enabling said shifting mechanism toengage said means idly on its normally efl ectivastroke. a

30. The combination with a typewriting mechanism, and an operatortherefor inclnding a constantly driven member, of shiftable means formaking said memberefiective to accomplish certain functions of saidtypewriting mechanism, shifting means for said .shiftable means yieldingsolely in one direction when eflective and yielding in both dlrectlonswhen ineffective, and connections whereby the starting and silencing ofthe operator controls said yielding.

LYMAN R. ROBERTS.

Witnesses:

F, E. .ALEXANDER, Trrns H, Inons.

